Nexus 5 is here: available today on Google Play

The Nexus 5 is finally here. After countless rumors and leaks, Google has finally officially unveiled the new member of the Nexus family and it comes with a 5-inch 1080p display, top-shelf specs and the latest Android 4.4 KitKat.

Plus, it features an ambitious optical-image stabilized camera that aims to deliver ‘unmatched’ dim light performance.

Design and display

The Nexus 5 looks are not a surprise. The new Nexus is made out of plastic and it's lightweight and thin, boasting a huge vertical Nexus logo on its back and a large camera eye.

It comes in two colors from the start - you can pick between black and white. Most prominent on the front is the very sharp 5-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. That’s as sharp as flagship smartphones get. The display uses in-cell touch, a fancy name for a technology that integrates the part of the screen that registers touch with the actual LCD. This eliminates reflections and makes the screen much easier to read outdoors.

Under the hood

Under the hood, the Nexus 5 features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 system chip with Adreno 320 graphics and 2GB of RAM. This is the exact same chip that powers the latest cream of the crop smartphones from Samsung, Sony and LG. We have seen the leaked benchmarks earlier and we have no reason to believe it will perform any worse than those flagships.

The handset will be available with 16GB and 32GB of built-in storage. There is no card slot to expand that.

Camera

We’re excited to see Google pay special attention to the camera on the Nexus 5. Earlier Nexus phones featured lackluster cameras, something that Google promises to change with this device. The main camera is an 8-megapixel one with a single LED flash and it features optical image stabilization (OIS) that is said to contribute for the ‘unmatched’ dim light performance of the Nexus 5. Google promises less blur and noise in Nexus 5 images, and we’re eager to put those claims to the test. Interestingly, the new Nexus uses the exact same OIS tech that is found on LG’s latest flagship, the G2, and we found it worked very well there. The handset also features an improved HDR+ mode that captures a series of images and enhances them.

Android 4.4 KitKat

Android 4.4 KitKat makes a debut on the Nexus 5. The new version of Google’s mobile operating system brings huge optimizations to the way memory is utilized and introduces new camera features like ‘auto-awesome’ images and movies, a compilation that the phone automatically creates using what’s on your camera roll. As with every Nexus, this one is expected to be first on the line for new updates as well.

Battery

The Nexus 5 comes with a 2300mAh battery. We have definitely seen larger battery packs on similarly sized smartphones, so we don’t expect the Nexus 5 to last more than the average smartphone. One cool feature that the phone has inherited from last year’s Nexus 4 is wireless charging.

Release date, price and carriers

Best of all, the Nexus 5 release date is imminent. The handset is going on sale today online on the Google Play store in United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K., Australia, Korea and Japan. Countries in Europe, Central/South Americas, Asia, CIS and the Middle East will get it in mid-November on other retailers. In the United States, the Nexus 5 will be available on Sprint, T-Mobile, Amazon, Best Buy and RadioShack. It will not be available on Verizon Wireless and question remains open whether AT&T will offer it.

To buy the phone on Google Play you don’t need to sign a contract and the price is $349 for the 16GB Nexus 5 and $399 for the 32GB model.

SEOUL, Nov. 1, 2013 — Following the success of Nexus 4, LG and Google havepartnered again to deliver the first smartphone featuring the latest Android operatingsystem, Android 4.4, KitKat. Packed with new features, Nexus 5 is the slimmest andfastest Google Nexus phone to date.

With a stunning 5-inch Full HD IPS display, Nexus 5 boasts an expansive screen for anunrivaled visual experience. The lightweight smartphone comes in both 16GB and32GB versions and is the perfect combination of powerful performance, functionalityand convenience thanks to LG’s proven hardware and best of Google software andservices.

“LG is proud to partner with Google again to develop the fastest, most powerful Nexusphone ever,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics MobileCommunications Company. “Nexus 5 offers the ultimate functionality in a moderndesign and is a testament to the level of innovation that can be generated when twogreat companies come together for a second act.”

“We’re excited to collaborate with LG on a new Nexus device,” said Sundar Pichai,senior vice president of Android, Chrome and Apps at Google. “Google Nexus 5 is theslimmest and fastest Nexus phone to date and puts the latest platform innovations ofAndroid 4.4, KitKat, right in the hands of consumers.

Capturing the Moments that MatterThe camera in Nexus 5 features LG Innotek’s acclaimed optical image stabilizertechnology which was first introduced in the LG G2. Mated to an 8MP camera withlonger exposures, less blur and less noise, Nexus 5 is unmatched in dim light

Global Web Site www.LG.com performance. Nexus 5 also includes Photo Sphere making it easy to capture a series ofphotos and turn them into a seamless 360-degree experience. And Google can createAuto Awesome photos and movies from the content in your library to share with friendsand family. Moreover, the improved HDR+ mode in Nexus 5 instantaneously captures aburst of shots and applies computational photography to intelligently fuse these imagestogether into one perfect photo with a greater range of shadows and light culled fromthe multiple exposure and color data.

Packed with Power & Speed Nexus 5 is the world’s first phone running Android 4.4, KitKat, offering the power ofGoogle in a thin and lightweight device that still manages to feel solid and reassuring.With a blazing fast SnapdragonTM 800 processor and 4G/LTE, Nexus 5 also boasts a 445 ppi Full HD IPS display with advanced in-cell touch technology that enables fastertouch recognition, better outdoor visibility and crisper images. This set of features ispackaged in a sleek, modern design that leaves no doubt that this is Google’s premiumsmartphone.

Best of Google Android 4.4 is fast and powerful yet simple to use. The new dialer automaticallysuggests people the most likely call while Caller ID by Google matches an incomingphone number to a business even if that number isn’t stored in the contact list. Users cansend and receive text messages directly from Hangouts, and Hangouts for Android nowsupports location sharing.

With Gmail, Chrome, Calendar, Maps, Drive and Hangouts, Nexus 5 helps usersmanage their day-to-day lives with familiar, easy-to-use applications. With GoogleNow, initiating a voice search is as simple as saying “Ok, Google,” and with more thanone million apps and games plus movies, books and music on Google Play, it’s easierthan ever to find what you’re looking for.

Global Web Site www.LG.com Nexus 5 will be available for purchase in either black or white, no contract required, onGoogle Play™ starting today in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy,Spain, U.K., Australia, Korea and Japan. Offline availability in Europe, Central/SouthAmericas, Asia, CIS and the Middle East will begin in mid-November.

While the G2 is a nice phone, other than the knock feature most critics are panning it for all the extra software overlay. It is very possible that with a stock build of Android, that the battery will be just fine without all the extra BS LG has loaded on it. As far as the camera who's to say it's not going to be as good as the G2? The main difference is price, and $600 for a G2 vs $400 for a Nexus5 with comparable storage is a big difference. On top of that, there are updates to consider, which LG is horrible at doing with their non-Nexus devices.

As far as the Flex that isn't out and hasn't been reviewed yet, so it's a little early to consider it a better alternative. How about wait until all three are out and then make an educated comparison before claiming which is better than the other.

Why ignore, my friends brother is a manager at one of the Carphone Warehouse stores. He tested one on Wednesday and in less than 24hrs he had enough of it. He said the battery was awful and the camera was a joke.

I purchased mine at 11:03 am (had to make sure I had enough money in my bank account, lol) and the page currently says that it'll ship in 1-2 business days. The status on the "My orders" page says that it'll leave by Nov. 5. I didn't see anything about choosing a quicker shipping so I just went with the normal shipping.

I hope to get it next week too! I'm not sure what to do with my iPhone 5s that'll arrive by December...

Yep, I get the same "Ship By Nov 5th", hopefully that means it could ship sooner! My order time was 2:18 EST since I was a good and ran it by the wife first! Sell the iPhone when you get it or cancel the order..you can might be a ble to make a profit selling it if ship time is a month and a half.

Not exactly, it has something in-between a regular phone and the Moto X. You can say 'ok google' to wake it up from the home screen (when you're not in an app), but if you just try this while it's locked - it won't work.

I hate Google right now. I checked early this morning and nothing. I go out on the floor at my job to take care of a few things and BAM! Nexus 5 for sale and I have to wait 3-4 weeks. Ain't this bout a b***h lol! Oh well, hopefully it will be in by Thanksgiving and BOOOOO to all of you who actually will receive yours sooner. Don't come back on here and rub it in lol.

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